It has been generally recognized by many engine designers that supercharging is one of the more effective ways of improving engine performance, particularly the power output of an engine. However, most prior attempts using supercharging have utilized a turbine for driving a centrifugal compressor with the turbine being driven by the engine exhaust gases. While such supercharging systems have produced a noticeable increase in engine output power, they nevertheless have not gained wide acceptance in view of the numerous control problems associated with same, such as the ineffectiveness of the turbine at low engine speeds. Further, under starting conditions, and particularly under cold starting conditions, turbine drives which rely upon exhaust gases are of little, if any, benefit. The use of exhaust gases for driving the turbine also creates a rather serious corrosion problem.
In an attempt to improve on the supercharger systems, attemps have been made to utilize different fluids for driving the turbine, such as freon. However, systems of this type are designed to operate as a refrigeration cycle and thus require that the freon be supplied to a jacket surrounding the combustion chamber so as to absorb heat. This system, like the use of exhaust gases, thus relies upon the heat of the engine in order to operate under optimum conditions. This system is also unacceptable under many operating conditions, particularly during starting and warming up of the engine. This system also requires rather elaborate and complex equipment in order for the freon to undergo a proper refrigeration cycle.
One of the primary problems explained with supercharger systems, as briefly explained above, results from the fact that the working fluid is normally in a gaseous state when it is supplied to the turbine for driving same. Needless to say, efficient and effective driving of the turbine by a gaseous fluid can be achieved only when the gaseous fluid is maintained under a substantially high pressure and is supplied to the turbine at a substantially high velocity. These conditions are obviously difficult to achieve during starting or during periods of low engine speed. Such supercharger systems have thus been effective only under sealed operating conditions.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved turbine-driven supercharger system for use with an internal combustion engine, particularly on a vehicle, for permitting the engine to develop increased power and torque. The supercharger system of the present invention also permits quicker cold starting of the engine and faster warm-up of the engine since the supercharger does not rely upon manifold or exhaust heat for the successful operation of same.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved supercharger system, as aforesaid, wherein the working fluid is continuously maintained in a liquid state to permit efficient driving of the turbine. The system of the present invention preferably utilizes water for driving of the turbine.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved supercharger system, as aforesaid, which utilizes a conventional working fluid such as water that the working fluid can be economically and easily replaced if necessary, and which fluid is not damaging to the engine or harmful to persons in a vicinity of the engine should accidental escape of the fluid occur.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a supercharger system which, as aforesaid, utilizes water for driving the turbine and which system can also be utilized for injecting water into the fuel-air mixture as supplied to the combustion chamber, thereby permitting substantially increased fuel economy and substantially reduced emission of exhaust gas pollutants.
Other objects and purposes of the present invention will be apparent to persons skilled in this art upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.